#Arctic puffin how to

The lifespan of an Atlantic Puffin can be around 20 years. Their range is vast and covers the eastern coast of Canada, the northeastern United States of America, northern Russia and northern Europe. When they are not breeding, the Atlantic puffins sit on the open ocean.

#Arctic puffin how to

Initially, young Atlantic puffins will spend up to five years at sea learning about how to fish and how to attract a mate. It does this naturally in order to protect the waterproof nature of its feathers. It is careful to stay clean and from an early age, dedicates one part of the nest to a toilet area. The Atlantic Puffin chick will stay in the nest until it is able to fly. They can then catch more fish, even with fish already in their mouths. They have ridges in the top of their mouth that keeps the fish in place during flight. The Atlantic Puffin can carry several small fish in their mouths at any one time.

We are not sure how they manage to locate the site again. It is fascinating to note that Atlantic Puffin pairs usually reunite each year at the same nest site. And when the Atlantic Puffin chick hatches, they will share the responsibility of feeding the chick. The incubation period lasts for around 40 days. Once the female lays the egg, both parents take turns in incubating it. Wherever they breed, they will usually build their nests on top of rocky cliffs вЂ“ lining it with grass and feathers. However, sixty per cent of Atlantic Puffins breed in and around Iceland. Puffins breed in the spring and summer and youвЂ™ll be able to observe them on North Atlantic seacoasts. Their webbed feet help immensely since they act like rudders. They can dive to depths of 50-60 metres looking for food. The form of the Atlantic Puffin makes them excellent swimmers, also. When in flight, they will flap their wings on average 400 times a minute and can reach speeds of 88km per hour.

They may be small, but they are very nimble.

The Atlantic Puffin measures only around 25cm in length and weighs 500g, so by comparison they are quite a small sea bird. And our resident expert Stewart, who can usually be found on board our vessels sharing his knowledge on the next destinationвЂ™s wildlife with our guests, has taken a break from the presentation room to share these Atlantic Puffin facts: TheyвЂ™re a fascinating gift from nature.ДЄt Expeditions Online, weвЂ™re lucky enough to see them regularly during our travels. They spend most of their lives at sea вЂ“ sat atop the waves when theyвЂ™re not diving for food. Atlantic Puffins, or the вЂsea parrotвЂ™ as they have sometimes known thanks to their unique, colorful beak, are sea-dwelling birds.